Jul 21, 2016

Binarity

Abdullah Issa (photo left) was a Palestinian child living in Syria
(family of refugees after the ethnic cleansing of 1948 by Israel). He was
captured and accused of helping the Syrian government. He had injuries and was
thought to be also treated for thallasemia. Pictures show the bandaged boy of
perhaps 10 or 11 years old with a catheter in his arm. His captives had him in
the back of a pick-up truck (perhaps having taken him from his hospital bed).
As he pleaded with them they ignored him and directed their message to the
camera against Syrian government then slit the throat of this child. The killer
militia shouted Allahu Akbar as the boy was mercilessly murdered. This group is
funded and/or supported by the governments of the US, Turkey, Israel, and Saudi
Arabia. They were considered by those four governments as “moderate rebels”.

On the same day that Abdullah was beheaded, a Palestinian
boy roughly the same age (Mohyee Sedki Tbakhi, photo left) was shot by the Israeli
occupation forces. I could not help note the similarity between the two as they
looked like twins. As happens, only by intensifying our efforts are we able to
cope with such tragedies. Coincidentally I accepted an invitation by the US
Consulate in Jerusalem for Independence Day celebration (the event was held
July 20th rather than July 4th here). Such trips to Jerusalem (without an
Israeli permit) are always painful for me but the contradictions and
conflicting emotions here were high. The area is in West Jerusalem long since
transformed to a “Jewish city” the only real remnant of Palestinian next to the
consulate is a cemetery (Mamilla or Maman Allah). But development is even
eating away at that space and what is left of it is treated as a garden park. (photo:

Me at the cemetery- a Palestinian visiting remaining Palestinians)

Perhaps two or three hundred people were at the consulate
including many high level Palestinian officials and some Israeli officials
(including many with blood on their hands). Many attendees were there for
varied reasons. They dutifully listened to Consul General Blum give a good
political speech highlighting need for peace and coexistence. Palestinian and
Israeli beers were served (Dancing Camel beer!). Palestinian Knaffeh was served by Palestinians ut
Shawerma sandwitches were served as “Israeli” food from the Waldorf Estoria! Equalizing
occupier with occupied and colonize with colonized serves a clear agenda that
has no space for liberation but encourages “coexistence” (status quo). But the
consular staff are kind hearted and good intentioned. Many even told me
privately they disagree with the policies but they are only doing what they
were told to do.

Coincidentally this event was also held in parallel with the
republican national convention, an event with much news coverage (for good or
bad). I could not help but reflect on the state of the US in 2016 and to do so
by taking time away from very important work I am doing (like analyzing the
state of the Palestinian environment). Like analyzing any project, perhaps
someone ought to sit down and do a proper and detail SWOT analysis (Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) to this human venture called the USA.
Like all human organizational structures (including religions and political
institutions everywhere), it starts with an idea that is then adapted to human
needs at various intervals.

The original 13 European colonies in what became known as “America”
shed their allegiance to Britain and with the help of France declared their
independence in 1776. Despite a constitution that says “all men are created
equal” voting in the new democracy was restricted to white male land owners a. Nearly
a hundred years later, slavery was abandoned and much later women got the right
to vote. Civil rights were allowed to blacks only in the 1960s. The US is now a
nation of hundreds of millions (6%) of the world population but consuming
nearly a quarter of the glob’s natural resources. It is a country of contradictions
and has always been so. Advanced science and medicine went in parallel with
committing war crimes in Vietnam. Art, music and culture that spread around the
world together with death and destruction. High charity among a largely devout,
simple and kind population but also domestic iolence, highest incarceration rate
in the world and racist discrimination and murder of blacks. Movements like Black
lives matter and challenging Islamophobia are growing but face daunting
challenges. The biggest challenge is that I is a society driven by money and
special interests. So islamophobia will continue to be promoted by a media
under much influence from the Zionist movement. The circus like atmosphere of the upcoming
democratic convention will only be slightly better than the Republican
convention. That is because these is a
system of elite interests that want it so. But ultimately I believe changes happen in the
US when enough people stop believing politicians and act to push policies
through. That is how the US public pushed for civil rights, women right to
vote, ending the war in Vietnam (genocidal war), ending support for apartheid South
Africa, and getting 40 hour work week. That
pressure (and it is not a matter of voting another politician in or out) is
what changes society. That pressure must also now increase to end US support
for apartheid Israel, end US support for the Saud Royal family, end US attacks
on Arab countries, end the escalation against Russia that could lead to war,
really tackle climate change (and not via the weak step taken in Paris), tax
the rich people fairly and take care of education for the young people and much
more.

I do love fellow Americans (as I do all human beings even
Israelis). I do not have to agree with US foreign policy and in fact my dislike
of that AIPAC-led foreign policy that is bankrupting the US is born out of my love
for fellow US citizens especially people who challenged or challenge the
system. There are people like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. There are
thousands of good Americans just on my own email list. I consider them the best
hope for evolving the US out of this craziness.

Now on this “binarity”: have you noticed that the
media and politicians repeatedly tell us that the world is binary? President
Bush once said after 11 Sept. 2001: you are either with the terrorists or with
us (I told them sorry I am with neither of you). Two million civilians killed
since then and the same politicians and terrorists (both are killers) give us
the same choice). They try to convince us that we have one of two choices (third
choices or more are discounted). I must vote either for racist madman Trump of egotistical
war monger Hilary Clinton who both lick the boots of Zionists and will kill more civilians. There are other
choices!. Why can’t I choose to reject both Turkish
Ordogan and the plotters of the military coup against him? Edward Said once
told us we do not have to choose between a secular corrupt dictatorship and
rule by Muslim Brotherhood. I do not have to support Zionism to be for Jewish
rights. I do not have to support the Assad regime to be against the
Saudi/US/Israel supported “rebel” groups who are nothing more than mercenary
terrorists. We have many choices. It is time we exercise them.

4 comments:

Thank you for this reminder that there are many options, not just two. As an American, I have been badgered lately by friends, including my best friends, for not supporting Hillary Clinton for president of the USA. They say that I have to choose between her and Trump in the 2016 election. I tell them that there are other options and I will support and vote for Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate. They say I'm throwing my vote away and that a vote for Stein is a vote for Trump. I tell them that I'm done with "lesser evil" voting and in good conscience cannot support the Democrat or Republican, both corrupted by dark money. Your post affirms my stance and encourages me. Thank you.

It is so amazing that you can continue to witness these butcheries and still have such compassion! I am feeling so defeated by the crushing of the Bernie Sanders' movement though so many others put much more of the hearts and souls into that cause. I will vote for Jill Stein, another tireless advocate, but dread the pressure campaigns that are certain to come. There is another way! Bless you for your courageous heart!

" Greenprof" has put into writing what I also am doing. I was a registered member of one of the branches of the Endless War – Corporatist Party (left wing, right wing, no matter) for 45 years, nursing the misguided belief that from within, I could have some effect.

About 6 years ago, I realized the error of the “evils of two lessers” mindset and decided that whatever electoral debacle we are presented with in any given year, it is not the last one that the Republicrat – Demican monopoly on the political process will present us with. Far better to commit to leaving the good old boy system to associate with a group that is far closer to having a restorative view of the world, and registered as a Green.

The capitulation of Sanders to Party Loyalty saddens me. Was he always planned as a Judas Goat to lead the dissidents back to the corral, or did he just run out of fight or perhaps, dignity?

Yes. I can be a Green and find significant congruence between my values and those of my party. This election is a loss, no matter which of these dreadful persons wins. Fixing our decayed process is the priority.

Thank you for your courageous and candid reflections. Yes we must resist such mindless killing. Yeserday I gave here a talk on non-violence. I am emailing you my power point and notes. Thank you all dear friends who are reading my comments

About Me

Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh teaches and does research at Bethlehem University (BU) and directs the BU's cytogenetics laboratory and the Palestine Museum of Natural History and Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability in occupied Palestine. He also taught at Birzeit and Al-Quds Universities. He is author of "Sharing the Land of Canaan: Human rights and the Israeli/Palestinian Struggle", “Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope and Empowerment”, "Mammals of the Holy Land", and "The Bats of Egypt." He formerly served on the board of the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People in Beit Sahour and Al-Rowwad Cultural and Theatre Society at Aida Refugee Camp.